Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



I f 1v 1,53 Feb. 8,1927. R' A. MCCANN .6 6 6 RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS v Filed May 5A. 1923 2 'Sheretsfsheet 1 Mln ATTORNEY Feb. s, 1927.- f 1316536 Y l F2. A.i MCCANN Y RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTRLLING APPARATUS Filed May 5, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEY withfaetrackfrelay Patented Feb. 8,

entre RONALD? A.- MGCANFN',

SWITCH 8c' SIGNAL :G0 PENN SYIiVANIfA;

My trolling apparatus fffif Applicatioiiiiled May 5, '1923.

invention relates to `railway traiiic con- V of the type 'comprising train carriedgoverningjmeans controlled by energy vreceived will show one from the trackway.

form of apparatus enibodyingmy invention and. one. modification thereof, andiwill then point1 out features thereof` iny In the accompanying the novel claims.`

drawings, Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view showingone arrangement-.of apparatus embodying my invention as apphedltoa portionfof railwayjtrack over whicli trafiic moves in one direction only.

Fig,v 2' is a viewy showing one' modification of the arrangement shown` in Fig. land also Vernb'odyi'ng my invention. The apparatusshownin Fig. 2 is adapted for use on a single" track railwayl over 'which traihc normally moves in hot-h directions:

lar' parts infboth Similar reference'.

views;

characters refer to simi- Referringjparticularly to Fig.` l, the reference characters track rails of a4 railway v normally moves'. in

by the arrow.

designate the over which traffic thel direction indicated Thesev rails are divided, by

meansv of 'insulated joints 3,' into a .plurality of? consecutive track sections,- which; Pi-B, is: shownl in only one of thedrawing.

Each track lsection'is' provided with a source of track' circuit current As shown' in the drawing, the'immediate source of such currentis a tracktransformer designated'by the reference' character responding tothe secondary winding rails adjacent the interposed between andV the secondary 5 lof' the T with an exponent corlocation and having its Y 5 connected across the exitY endf of the section.

one rail #Lof 'eachlsection associated track transformer rlis amimpedancext` one-function of which is lto transformer when cii'cuited by the wheels-A The primary transformer T is ing train.

limit the outputl of the its terminals are' shortand axleswof a pass T ofr each track constantlyA supplied vwith alternatingcurrent-from,some suitable source such` as' a" generator G over line wires l1 section is vfurther provided ,which is connected across the rails adj vacentithe entrance endoftli'esection 'and lis y{designat acterR with an eX the location.

edhy thel Ireferenceicharponentcorresponding: to

nected' across 'such' as 15- miles per RAILWAY-Tahari@coNmRoLLiNG APPARATUS;

serial N. 636,759;-

It is'therefore clear thateacli track'se'ction is 'providedy withV a; trackcircuit including al secondaryl 5 of a* track' transformer' T, aniimpedance 6, a` track relay/YR, and the rails V41:y and-1ia of the sectionin series.

Means' are also provided fori supplyingl to the rails inL parallel of section Ac-B a: currcnttwhicli` Ij' will hereafter term ar local rent is double-'secondaryv local transformer KA whose primary@ is constantlyf supplied with alternating currentA from' gener'atorl G over line' wires ll1' andi 11a. The section4 is alsoprovided with; an impedance 12" cono'f the section, asimilar impedance 1,5* connectedacrossth'e rails adjaeentvthe entrance end of; the sectiongandvv two f siniilarimpedances 13 andilis-'connec'te'd across the railsfat anE intermediate point inthe section.

Before proceedingfurthe-r with thedescription itshouldbe-pointed out that the track-way apparatus here-in shown describedV is intended for' cooperation with the rails adj acent' the exit.` end A i.,eiasae e altaar i carine.,

or swssvntn, rnivitsYLVAniA, Assienoni To renin, UNIN Mgr-ANY, es swssvaizn; risniisrrvan-ia=A-. coltreaileron.l or

coY

train-carried governing apparatus-- in" the following v' manner: When `the f train is on-`- a portion of" trackfwhich lis'supplied with' track circuit current and withl local current of normal relative lpolarity' the governing' ap# paratiis displaysa proceedE indic-ationjwliich v allowsthe train' topro'ceedati a` high speed such as 65 miles per' hour, cupiesa portion of track which=is supplied with trackcircuit current' andi withlocal current of reverse relative polarity, erningmechanism4 presentsf a; caution` aspect 7hich prevents the tra-in fromeXceeding-fan t dicatedb'y the referencecharactersly and 2.

rElie hazard"mayfhelacurve, a bridge, at'unnel, or any4 similar topographical; feature which always requiresthat toinsuresafty aL restricted* train speedlmust* *bey maintained through this' portion ofjtrack'l.

if the' train ocy the govof either track Y 13. If, however,

` point B. `The Vplied with track circuit current from track in section In `my invention I arrange the circuits for the local current in such a way that this speed reduction will be etfectiveupon a vehicle automatically.

It will be noted Vthat impedances 13 and 14 in section A-B are located adjacent the left hand end of this hazard 1 2. Section 'A-B is provided with one local circuit which passes from secondary 9 of local trans-Y former KA through wire 20, impedance 14 A-B, through both rails of the section in parallel to impedance 15, thence lby wire 21 back to secondary 9 of transformer KNY This -circuit is always closed and local current of reverse relative polarity is therefore constantly supplied to the rails of section A-B between impedances 14 and 15. Another local circuit passes from secondary 10 of transformer KA through wire 1G, impedance 13 in section Ae-B, through both rails of the section in parallel to impedance 12, thence through wire .19, front contact 18 of track relay RA, and wire 17 back to secondary 10 of transformer KA. This circuit is closed only when relay RA is energized under which condition loca-l current of normalrelative polarity is supplied to the rails of section A-B between impedances 12 and relay RAf is deenergized, as by the presence of a train in the section to the le'ft of A, this circuit is interrupted and no local current .is supplied to the rails of .section A-B between impedances 12 and 13.

I will now assume that section Af-B is unoccupied, and that a train moving in the direction of the arrow enters section A-B at governing apparatus is sup transformer TA, Vand with local current of reverse relative polarity from secondary 9 of local transformer KA. The speed of the train is therefore restricted to 35 miles per hour until it has passed the left hand extremity 1 of the hazard 1-2. If the section to the left of A is unoccupied, the supply of local current of normal relative polarity commencing at impedance 13 will allow the train to accelerate lto miles per hour, but if the section tothe leftof point A is occupied, the train speed is immediately reduced to 15 miles per hour'by lthe interruption of the local circuit.

It is plain therefore that a constant speed restriction is imposed upon a.

train while lpassing the hazard, irrespective conditions, and that the speed of the train is further cont-rolled, in response to'traliic conditions, after the hazard has been passed.

Referring now to Fig. 2, in'which I have shown my invention applied to al single track railway over which traffic moves in both directions, the track rails 4 and 42 are divided Y as before intoa plurality of successive track sections A-B, B40, etc.

Each end of each track section is provided nating current.

Vrelay S2, and wire 39 rails of the associated section through an impedance 6. The energization of the pri-V mary 7 of these track ktransformers will be eX- plained in detail hereinafter. Each track section is also provided with two track'relays, one located at each end, and designated by the reference character R with a suitable exponent. Associated with each track relay R is a line7 relay and a stick7 relay designated by the reference characters H and S, respectively, with suitable distinguishing exponents.

Each section is also provided with a rcpeater relay designated by the reference character' I with aI suitable exponent and 1ocated adjacent the left handy end of the section.

Each track relay R is provided' with two windings 27 and 28, one of which, 28, is constantly connected with a source'of alter- Thus, referring rparticularly to relay R2, a circuit is provided which passes from the secondary of a transformer DB, whose primary is constantly supplied with alternating current from generator Gr over line wires 11 and 112, through wire 31, winding 28 of track relay R2, and wires 32 and 30 back to transformer DB. Another circuit is provided' from rail 4 of section B-C through wire 33, winding 27 of relay'R2, wire 34, back contact 35 of relay P2, and wire 36 back to rail 42 of section B-C. It is clear that this circuit isclosed only when relay P2' is de-energized under which conditions relay R3 is for this relay passing j connected across the rails of section B-C.

The track relay loca-ted adjacent the leftis similarly controlled by theassociated re-V peater relay P. The relay R located at the right hand end of each section is constantly connected with the rails of the section through an impedance 29 the function of which will Vappear hereinafter. Means are provided for at times closing a low resistance shunt around this impedance. Thus referring particularly to relay R2 a shunt path passes from the right hand side of impedance 29, through wire 37, front contact 38 of ,stick back to the left hand side of impedance 29. `This low resista-nce shunt is closed only when relay S2 is energized, under which condition impedance 29 is shunted out of the circuit for rela 2.

The vtrack transformer located at the left hand end of each section is normally disconnected from its source of energy. Referring particularly to transformer T2, a circuit is provided passing from transformer DB' through wires 31 and 40, front contact 41 of repeater relay P2, wire 42, primary winding j ing thestick relay S2.

7 of track transformer T5, and Wire 30- back to transformer DB. This. circuit is closed only When relay P2 is energized, under Which condition track circuit current Will be sup-- plied to section B-G from transformer T5. Track transformer T2 located at the right hand end of section B-C is provided with a circuit which passes from transformer DC through Wires i3l and 44, hack contact 45 of stick relay S2, Wire 46, primary Winding 7 of track transformer T2, and Wire 30 backl to transformer DC. This circuit is closed. only when relay, S2 is deenergized, under which condition track circuit current is supplied to the rails of section B-C from track transformer' T2. lt Will be clear from the foregoing that at times a source of energy is connected directly across the terminals of relay R2 and for this reason the impedance 29 is necessary to protect the winding 27 from excessive current. But When the track circuit is bein-g fed from. the remote end, this current limiting impedance is unnecessary and undesirable and hence means are pro vided for establishing a patlr of low resistance around this impedance as already ei;- plained.

Line relay H3 is provided with a circuit passing from transformer DC through Wires 43 and 47,. front contact 48 of line relay H5, Wire 49, front contact 50 of relay R2, wire 51, back contact 52 of stick relay S4, Wire 53, front contact 54:v of track relay R2, Wire 55, Winding of relay H5, and Wires 56 and 30 back to transformer DC. Vhen stick relay S4 is deenergized and relays R2, R2 and. H5 are all energized, the circuit just traced is closed., thus energizing relay H5. cuit is provided With a branch passing from Wire 43, through Wire 57, front contact 58' of stick relay 55 and Wire 59 'back to Wire 49; The circuit is closed through this branch only when stick relay S5 is energized, undery which condition relay H5 is removed from the controlof relay H5, The remaining line relaysH are controlled over circuits. exactly similar to. that just described for relay H5.

Each stick relay S is controlled by its associated line relay H and they adjacent track. relays R as follows: to relay S2, a Lpick-up circuit passes from transformer DC through Wires Ll?) and 60, back contact 61 of line relay H5, Wire 62, back contact 631 of track relay R5, Wire Gil, back Contact 65 of track relay R2, Wire 66, front contactA 67 of line relay H2, Wire 68, Winding of relay S2, and wires 69 and 30 back to transformer DC. It is clear, therefore, that since a train moving from right to left into section Be-C Will cle-energize track relays R2 and R5 simultaneously and sinceA relayv H5 is already .de-energized, the circuit just traced Will becloseol, thus energiz- The de-energization This cir- Referring particularly of the track relay-R2 de-energiz'es line relay H5v loutV before thisrelay has time to operi its front contacts, stick relay S2 closes its front contact, and even though the pick-up circuit for S2 is broken at front contact 67 of relay H5, relay S2 is held closed by a stick circuit which passes from transformer wires lf3. and 70, back contact 71 of track relay R2, Wire 72, front contact 73 of stick relay S2, wire 74*Winding of relay S2, and Wiresy 69 and 3() back to transformer DC.

Each repeater relay P is arranged to be energized only when the stick relay at the other end ofthe associated section is energized. Referring .particularly to relay P5 the circuit for this relay passes from transformer lD-C through Wires 43 and 15, front contact 76 of relay S2, Wire 77, back contact 78 of track relay R2, Wire 79, back contact 80 of relay Wire 81, back contact 82 of relay Riwvire 83, Winding; of repeater relay P5, and Wires 84 and 30 back to transformer DC. It is clear that this circuit is closed and relay P5 is energized onla,7 when relay S2 is energized and relays R5, R2 and S5 are deenergized.

It Will be observed that section r-B contains, as in Fig. 1, a permanent hazard 1-2, Whereas, no such hazard isfound in section BC.

Section B-C is provided With a local circuit vvhich passes from secondary 9 of local transformer KC, through vvire 85, front contact S6 of relay H5, Wires 8?'.- and 88 impedance 15 in section 'B4-C, thence through both. rails of the section in parallel to impedance 12, Wire 89, back contact 9() of relay P2, VWire 91, back Contact 92 of relay S2, Wire 93, front contact 94 of relay H5, and Wire 95 back to secondary 9 of local transformer KC. S2 and P5 are deenergized and relay H5 is energized under which. condition the rails of section B-G' are supplied with local cur :eut of normal relativepolarity throughout their length. If, however, relay H5 is cle-energized, as by a train right and occupying the section to the right of C, a local circuit is closed allowing eurrent to flov7 from secondary 9v of local trans-V j DC through This circuit is closed only when relaysVv ico moving toward the Y former KC through, Wire-85, back contact 86 of relay H5, Wire 93, back contact 92 of stick relay S2, \virc.91, back contact 9() of repeater' relay P5, Wire S9, impedancel 1.2 in section l3-C, through both rails of the sec-y tion in parallel to impedance 14 thence contact 9st of relay y through Wire 96, back H5, and Wire 95, back to secondary 9 of transformer KC. The closing of this circuit `supplies the rails of section B-C with local current of reverse relative polarity between the left hand end of the section and iinpedance 14, but with no local currentfrom impedance 14 to the right hand endof the section. For traihc moving from right to:

45, ing from lett to right through section A-B left, local current is supplied in a similar mannerhy secondary 410 of transformer KB, theonly difference being that wire 91 is now connected to the t'ront instead ot the bach contacts ot" relays S2 and P3. circuits are also prox-ideal tor the partial sections to the lett of point A and to the 'right of point C, respectively. lt .is understood, of course, that impedances landV f 14e vare located at suliicient distances from the associated ends of the sections, respecltively,rto permit the` train to he reduced connected across the rails of the section and` from miles per hour to a linal stop hetween Yin'ipechiifices 13 and 12 or between iinpedances l/l and 15, depending on the direction of tralhc. p f

` Assuming that the hazard in section A--B -is so located that its lett hand extremity is adjacent to impedance and its right hand eXtrem-ity is some distance to the left lof impedance 14, the local circuits are arranged as follows: 1n addition to the tour impedances 12, 13, 111 and 15 similar to with which section 13e-C is provided, section A-B is provided with an impedanceV *22 connected across the rails adjacent ini' pcd-ance 18 and two inipedances 23 and located at the right hand extremity of the hazard 1.-2. rin auxiliary local transformer is also provided for each end of this section and designated'hy the reference character L with an'eXponent correspond- Y ing to the location.

current of reverserelative polarity is therefore constantly supplied to section Ap-B between iinpe'dances 22 and 23. `Traftic movis supplied with local currents over circuits as follows: One circuit passes from secondary 23 ot'local trai'istoriner LA, tlirough wire i 100, impedance 12 in section A-B, through i, ce

supplied to the rails oit section A Vhoth rails ot' the section in parallel to inipedance '13,jthence through Wire 99, haelt contact 98 oic repeater relau P', and wire 104i haclrto secondary 26 loit transformer LA@ This circuit is closed only when rela',

' Pf is de-energized, under which conditions localciirrent ot reverse relative polarity vis hetween impedances and 13. Another local circuit is provided passing trom secondary 9 ot local transformer KB, through wireV 1,10, front Contact 111 of relay H3, wires 112 Vand 10C, impedance 15 in section A-B,

through both rails of the section in Yparallel tovimpedance 24:, wire 117, hack contact 108 oifielaySf, wire 113, trontcontact 114 of Similar localthose' relay H3, and wire 1515 back to secondary 9 ot'- transformer KB. Vhen this circuit is closed, local current of normal relative polarity is supplied to the rails of section A-B `hetween inipedances 24g and 15. It, however, relay Hf is cle-energized, as by a train moving from lett to right and occupying section B C, a local circuit isy closed which passes from secondary 9 ot'local transformer KB, through wire 110, back contact 111 of relay H3, wirell, hack contact 108 ot relay S4, wire 117, impedance 24 in section A-B, through both rails ot' the section in parallel to impedance 14, wire 116, back contact 114V of relay H3 and wire 115 ha'clr to secondary 9 of transformer KB. VJheii this circuit is closed the rails of the section are provided with local'current of reverse relative polarity between iinpedances 2.4i and 111- but with no local current Ybetween impedances 14. andl..

ifi. train moving trom right torleft through section A-B will energize relays S4 and P3 as explained hereinhefore and thereby close a circuit from secondary 25 of local trans-Y former LB, through wire 107, front contact 108 of relay S4, wirell, impedance 24 in section A`B, through both rails of the sec'- tion to impedance 15, thence through wire 109 hack to secondary 25 of transformer LB;

r1`his circuit is closed only when relay'S4 is energized under which condition transformer LB supplies local current of reverse rela tive polarity to the rails of section A-B he# tween impedances 2l and 15. AnotherV cir-Y cuit is provided for trahie moving from right `to lett, this circuit passing fromA secondary 25 oi" transformer LA, through wire 97,r front Contact 98 ol relay P', wire 99, impedance 13 in section 1 -B, thence through both rails in parallel of the section to impedance 12,

wires 100 and 101, front contact 102 ofrei lay HG, and wire 103 hack to secondary 25 of transformer LA. Local currentoi" normal relative polarity is supplied to the rails of section 'A--B hetween impedances 12 and 13 over the circuit just traced, only when relays HG and P are energized.

ln explaining the operation of the appara,- tus as a whole 1 will assume vthat a train moving from lett to right entersthe stretch ot track shown in the drawing. Y This train Vwill he allowed to proceed at 65 miles per hour as tar as point A, where the reversal of the local current will cause the governing mechanism to impose an intermediate speed limitation, ythus reducing the train speed to miles per hour. This restriction continuesv throughout the liazardror as far aSl B where the local impedance 24 in section A current isV again reversed, thusallovving the train to accelerate to 65 miles' per hour and proceed at high speed through the rest of section A-B and section B--C-V 115,'lioweveznV section Bh@ is occupied'by a train moving iio , readily understood mienne from lett to right, relay H3 will be cle-energized and the intermediate speed restriction :will continue as tar as impedance 14:, where the cessation of the local current avill cause the train Speed to be still Yfurther reduced to 15 miles per hour. It section Bf-C is unoccupied but the section to lthe right Vot C is occupied by a train moving toward the right, vthe .train in section i-B will be allowed to accelerate as before vbut the intermediate speed restriction will be imposed as vthe train enters section B-C and the low speed restriction will `be established as the `train passes impedance 1li in section For traffic moving trom right to lett through section I3-(1, the operation ot' the apparatus associated with the section will be 'trom the foregoing. train moving trom right to lett and entering section A-B is, however, immediately restricted to miles per hour it not already below that speed and this restriction is main-y tained till the train has passed impedance 13. It the section to the lett ot A is unoccupied, the local current is reversed at point 13 and the train is allowed to accelerate, but it a train moving from right to lett occupies the section tothe lett ot point A the consequentdeenergization of relay II interrupts the local circuit tor section A-B between impedances 12 and 13 and the consequent discontinuance ot' local current in this portion of track causes a low speed limitation to be imposed upon the train which is then allowed to proceed only at speeds not in excess of 15 miles per hour.

rl`he operation ot the apparatus associated with the section to the left ot point A is similar in all respects v'to the apparatus associated with section B-C and will be understood from the foregoing without further explanation.

Although I have herein shown and described only one i'orm of railway tratlic controlling apparatus vembodying my invention, it is understood that Various changes and 1modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope ot my invention.

l-Iaving thus described my I claim is:

1. In an automatic train control system comprising a trackway, including a portion ot track containing a permanent hazard, means tor constantly supplying the rails of invention, what said portion in parallel with alternating cur rent ot one relative polarity only, and means for supplying alternating current of one relative polarity or the other to the rails in parallel ot the remaining portions of such trackway.

2. In an' automatic train control system comprising a trackway, including a portion of track containing a permanent hazard,

said portion.

means independent ot traftic conditions tor supplying current of one Vrelative polarityv to the rails ot said portionv in parallel, rand mea-ns responsive Ato trafic conditionsfor at times supplying current of the l,other rela* Ative polarity to the rails in parallel adjacent 3.` An automatic train control system comprising a section `ot railway track comprising three adjoining Vportions the central one ot which' portions lcontains a permanent hazard, means tor constantly supplying said central portion with localcurrent ot one relative polarity, means responsive to traftic direction and conditionsV tor at times sup- 2 plying one end lportion with local current ot said one relative polarity and at other times tor supplying said one end portion either with local current ot the other rela--A tive polarity or with no local current, and means for supplying local current ,of said one relative polarity throughout the length ot the remaining portion ot such section, or tor supplying local current of the other relative polarity to the last-mentioned portion throughout its only ot' the said portion, depending upon the direction in which traiic occupying the section is moving.

1. In combination, a section of railway track adapted to accommodate traffic moving in two directions and comprising a portion ot track adjacent the center ot said section containing a permanent hazard, means for constantly supplying said central length or tor a .part

portion of track with current ot one rela-k tive polarity, and means for each of the remaining portions ot said section and effective only when such portion is occupied by a train moving toward said central portion or'supplying the portion ot track with current of said one relative polarity.

5. In combination, a section of railway track adapted to accommodate traffic moving in two directions and comprising a portion of track adjacent the center vof said section containing a permanent hazard, means for constantly supplying said central portion of track with current of one relative polarity, and means for supplying each of the remaining portions ot said section with current of said oney relative polarity when such portion is occupied by a train moving toward said central portion or tor at times supplying each such remaining portion with current ot the other relative polarity when such portion is occupied by a train moving away 'from said central portion.

6. In combination, a sectionot railway track adapted to accommodate traffic moving in two directions `and comprising three adjoining portions of track the central portion containing a permanent hazard, means for constantly supplying said central portion with current of one relative polarity, means ysaid hazard when such portion is moving away from the operative only when such portion is occupied -by a train moving away from the hazard `for supplying' the portion with cuirent of the otherrelativ-e polarity or for interrupt-v ing `said supply in accordance with traffic conditions, and means `or the remaining last-mentioned portion and operative only occupied'hy a train hazard for supplying theV portion with current of the said Vgiven relative polarity through a part of said -portion or with current of 'the othervvrelative polarity throughout the length of the portion, dependingon traffic conditions. 7. In combination, a section of railway track comprising three adjoining portions the Central one of which contains Va permanent hazard, means for constantly supplying' said centi-al portion with local current, and means responsive to traiiic conditions or supplying the remaining portions of said section with local current when such i portions are occupied by traiiic moving away from said hazard.

8. In combination, a section o-i'ailway track comprising three adjoining portions the central one of which contains a permanent hazard, means for constantly supplying said central portion withlocal cur? rent of one relative polarity, and separate means for at times supplying` each of the remaining portions oi" such section with local current of said one relative polarity or the other relative polarity in accordance with traffic conditions.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

RONALD A. MCCANN. 

